STDF events: sharing good practice to support SPS capacity building
Get in touch at STDFSecretariat@wto.org to be part of future events.
2022
Exploring the Impact of Climate Change on the Global Food System Webinar
During Climate Change Week at the STDF, a series of four inter-connected webinars brought together partners and stakeholders on the ground to explore the impact of climate change on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues, and identify opportunities to respond to emerging risks and facilitate safe trade.
Experts looked at a different climate change-related SPS topic on each day, from 3 to 6 May 2022, from 14:00-15:00 CET:
- Tuesday, 3 May: Climate change and animal health (Video Recording 1)
- Wednesday, 4 May: Climate change and plant health (Video Recording 2)
- Thursday, 5 May: Climate change and food safety (Video Recording 3)
- Friday, 6 May: Climate change and SPS issues – looking ahead (Video Recording 4)
All webinars were held in English, with interpretation provided in French and Spanish.
For more information on each session, including speakers and topic angles, visit the webinar webpage. An overview of climate change-related work by the STDF and its partners is available here.
ADB/STDF Virtual Seminar on Good Regulatory Practices to Improve Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
Speakers at this ADB-STDF webinar shared knowledge and experiences on how GRPs can be used to improve the development and implementation of SPS measures and to facilitate safe trade in the Asia-Pacific. The webinar covered:
- Session 1: Overview of the STDF GRP Guide including GRP tools and processes.
- Session 2: Country experiences in using GRPs, highlighting major challenges, results and lessons learned.
- Session 3: Opportunities for regional cooperation (including within ADB programmes) to promote the use of GRPs to facilitate safe trade.
The session took place on 10 May 2022 from 9:00-10:30 CET.
Find out more and see presentations HERE.
Reducing costs, building trust through electronic SPS certification
The STDF and the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF) organized a session on 28 April 2022 as part of UNCTAD's eCommerce Week. This session provided an overview of the current status of SPS eCert and its use by developing and developed countries. The main challenges faced by developing countries and also opportunities (including policy recommendations) and ways to scale up SPS eCert going forward beyond ePhytos were discussed.
Watch the recording of the session at the UNCTAD eWeek Platform.
Exploring SPS technical assistance in Francophone Africa
To mark International Francophonie Day, STDF organized a session exploring the range of sanitary and phytosanitary-related technical assistance in French-speaking African countries. Participants heard best practices and lessons learned from projects in Burkina Faso and Cameroon.
WTO Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam delivered welcome remarks. Closing remarks were delivered by representatives from the Permanent Missions of Canada and France to the WTO.
For more information, visit the webinar webpage.
The discussion took place on Monday, 21 March 2022, from 14:00–15:00 (CET).
Watch the recording of the session HERE
WTO accession of the Union of the Comoros: Roundtable on technical assistance
This virtual roundtable explored the progress the Union of the Comoros has made towards WTO accession, including through the 6th Meeting of its Accession Working Party in 2021 and through continued engagement with WTO Members.
The delivery of technical assistance and capacity building – including in the areas of non-tariff barriers/technical barriers to trade, trade facilitation, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures – will support the conclusion of accession negotiations.
This interactive session with development partners was designed to mobilize technical assistance and capacity building support to facilitate and accelerate the implementation of priority trade-related strategies.
For more information, visit the webinar webpage.
The online discussion took place on Thursday, 13 January 2022, from 14:00–16:00 (CET).
2021
Joint STDF/WBG Webinar - Food Safety Reform: Learning from the Best
WED 8 December 2021 @14:00-15:15 CET
Watch the recording of the session HERE
Presentation slides - IFC e-Learning Course on New Zealand Food Safety System
Presentation slides - Ukraine feedback on e-Learning course
This joint STDF and World Bank Group webinar highlighted the need for food safety reform, the changing role of the public and private sector, and introduced a new IFC learning course (New Zealand food safety system case study).
*Event webpage
Joint STDF/IPPC Outreach Event on the PCE Facilitators project
STDF's Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) Facilitators' project, led by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat, aimed to help National Plant Protection Organization (NPPOs) improve their work through more robust needs' assessment and action planning, based on the IPPC's PCE Tool. The project set out to create a pool of trained PCE facilitators to roll out the PCE Tool in developing countries. In the process, it trained forty PCE experts, developed guides for PCE training and national phytosanitary capacity development strategy, and resulted in the completion of PCEs in Madagascar, Barbados, Kenya, and Guinea.
An independent external project evaluation, published in 2021, took a critical look at the project's relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability, based on OECD's evaluation criteria, and assessed its contribution to STDF's programme goal of improved and sustainable SPS capacity.
Join our online outreach event on Tuesday 30 November @ 13:00-14:15 (CET) to learn and discuss the findings and recommendations of the PCE project evaluation.
For more information, visit the webinar webpage.
Watch the recording of the session HERE
New STDF Guide on Good Regulatory Practices - SPS Committee Side Event
How can good regulatory practices help ensure that SPS measures are fit for purpose? What challenges are developing countries facing when using good regulatory practices? How can the STDF Guide help SPS regulators develop or review SPS measures?
At a zoom event on 3 November 2021, the STDF will be launching its guide on Good Regulatory Practices to improve SPS measures. Find out more here.
Join the online discussion on Wednesday 3 November @ 13:30-14:45 (CET)
Watch the recording of the session HERE
SPS e-Cert - Accelerating Cross-border Paperless Trade
This webinar, jointly organized by UNESCAP, ADB, ICC and the STDF, provided an overview of the "state of play" on SPS eCert in the relevant international standard-setting bodies and presented case studies from countries across the Asia-Pacific region. Participants shared lessons and experiences from using the “ePhyto Solution” to facilitate the exchange of electronic phytosanitary certificates and explored challenges and highlight developments in scaling up electronic veterinary and food safety certification. For more information visit the webinar webpage.
The online discussion took place on Wednesday 8 September @ 10:00-11:30 (CEST).
Prioritizing Investments and Leveraging Resources to Boost Agri-Food Exports in the COMESA Region
When the investments needed to facilitate safe trade in the COMESA region are huge but resources are limited, why and how can evidence-based approaches add value?
How can the STDF's P-IMA framework help to prioritize investments to boost regional trade linked to policy goals?
TUE 24 AUG 2021 @15:30-17:00 (NAIROBI, EAT)
SEE EVENT WEBPAGE AND THE RECORDING HERE
UN Food Systems Summit Pre-Summit
Joint Codex, IPPC, OIE and STDF Virtual side-session
UN Food Systems Summit Pre-Summit
Joint Codex, IPPC, OIE and STDF Virtual side-session:
"PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS: THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS"
TUESDAY 27 JULY, 19:30 - 20:20 CEST (Rome Time)
SEE EVENT WEBPAGE AND THE RECORDING HERE
As part of the Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit, the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) together with the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) are organizing a affiliated session on: "Promoting sustainable food systems: the role of international standards".
Panelists:
- Mr. Steve Wearne, Vice Chair of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
- Ms. Juliet Goldsmith, Plant Health Specialist, Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Agency (CAHFSA)
- Dr. Alemayehu Mekonnen Anbessie, Advisor for office of the State Minister for Livestock sector Development at the Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia. Former delegate from Ethiopia to the OIE.
Systems Approaches in Food Safety and Plant Health - SPS Committee Side Event
WED 14 JULY 2021 @13:30-14:45 CET
Watch the recording of the session HERE
Presentation slides - Introduction to Systems Approaches
Presentation slides - Rethinking aflatoxin management in East Africa
Join this STDF and World Bank Group webinar to learn more about the concept of Systems Approaches and to hear about specific case stories that describe the challenges and opportunities of implementing a system.
Panelists
- Meghan NOSEWORTHY, Natural Resources Canada
- Theo PONGOLO, Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, South Africa
- Phyllis GITHAIGA, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service
- John KEYSER, World Bank's Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice
- Shane SELA, World Bank's Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice
*Event webpage
STDF's Independent Dialogue for the United Nations Food Systems Summit
Transforming food systems for the 21st Century: Why does facilitating safe trade matter?
Who is involved in facilitating safe trade, and how can we strengthen trust and synergies across stakeholders and sectors to support agri-food systems transformation?
What are the trade-offs in facilitating safe trade, why are they relevant, and how can they be better navigated to support agri-food systems transformation?
How can STDF's global partnership influence and catalyse change that supports agri-food systems to deliver for the world of tomorrow?
Transforming agri-food systems to deliver food security is urgent for the future. Around the world, diverse stakeholders recognize the need for change to catalyse sustainable economic development, benefit women, youth and other vulnerable groups, and promote the health of the planet. Facilitating safe trade must play a crucial role in this change.
The STDF’s global partnership of public and private sector actors from across agriculture, health, trade and development is working to facilitate safe trade that supports sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries and contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals.
The STDF Independent Dialogue for the United Nations Food Systems Summit will engage members of STDF's global partnership to:
- share experiences and learning about innovative and collaborative safe trade solutions in Africa, Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, and explore how they are contributing to food systems transformation;
- reflect on how ongoing trends – from the growth in regional and South-South trade to digitalization and inclusive and sustainable trade – are influencing SPS capacity development, and what this means for food systems transformation; and
- identify new opportunities for STDF's global partnership to influence and catalyse sustainable improvements in SPS systems that support agri-food systems to deliver for the world of tomorrow.
JOIN THE INDEPENDENT DIALOGUE ON MONDAY 28 JUNE 2021 @15:00 -17:00 (CET)
*UN FSS event webpage
Aid for Trade: Investing in safe trade systems to protect health and market access
WED 24 MARCH 2021 @12:30-14:00 CET
Watch the recording of the session HERE
COVID-19 has provided a clear reminder of the ease and speed at which pests and diseases can spread worldwide, and of the inter-connectedness of global supply chains. Protecting food safety and animal and plant health across borders as a global public good is now more important than ever. With food security and livelihoods already under pressure, developing countries have been hit hardest by the pandemic, threatening to undo progress achieved in economic growth and poverty reduction. Building their resilience will require long-term investments in sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) capacity. Action is needed to establish new partnerships between governments and private sector to meet international standards and go digital with new technology to cut down on unnecessary trade costs.
Join this STDF event with agriculture, health, trade and development experts to discuss how we should invest in safe trade systems and scale up assistance for developing countries to support economic recovery.
Discussants
- Loraine Ronchi, World Bank Group
- Washington Otieno, CABI
- Unesu Ushewokunze-Obatolu, Department of Veterinary Services of Zimbabwe
- Emily Tagliaro, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
Moderator
- Melvin Spreij, Head, Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF)
*Event webpage
Unlocking Regional Trade in East Africa: Enhancing Investments in Standards for Market Access
How is TMEA applying the STDF P-IMA framework to unlock regional agri-food trade in the EAC region, and how is this relevant for other regional economic bodies, including the African Continental Free Trade Area?
How can evidence-based approaches add value when the investments needed to facilitate safe trade in East Africa are huge, but resources are limited?
JOIN THE ONLINE DISCUSSION: MON 22 Feb 2021 @15:30-17:00 (NAIROBI, EAT)
STDF's Global Partnership: Facilitating Safe and Inclusive Trade Horizons in a Changed Context
What does pandemic-driven change mean for the STDF's partnership and approach?
How can the STDF partnership harness innovation to deliver for the world of tomorrow?
The STDF's global partnership of public and private sector actors from across agriculture, health, trade and development are continuing to work to facilitate safe trade, and support sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries worldwide.
In January 2020, the STDF launched its 2020-2024 Strategy in support of the UN's 2030 Agenda. Since then, our world changed completely. More than ever we need to join forces and innovate.
What do these changes mean for the STDF's approach on the ground? How is the STDF's operating model relevant for today’s world and that of tomorrow? What have we learned in 2020? And how can we build on this together to drive food safety, animal and plant health in developing countries?
A virtual discussion took place on 08 February 2021 with STDF partners, donors, project partners (government/private sector) and developing country experts to hear what the pandemic-driven changes of 2020 mean for the STDF's partnership moving forward. Participants shared their views on how we can learn and adapt to the challenges to strengthen STDF's model, delivering safe trade solutions that benefit people in developing countries.
Featuring the premier of STDF’s new film “Shaping a safer world”
Discussants
- Markus Lipp, FAO
- Shane Sela, WBG
- Kelly McCormick, US FDA
- Suzanne Neave, CABI
- Jeremy Knops, COLEACP
- Martha Byanyima, Land O'Lakes East Africa (former STDF developing country expert)
Moderator
- Marlynne Hopper, STDF
2020
ePhyto Webinar: Solutions on safe trade in plants and plant products
The ePhyto solution – driving the exchange of electronic phytosanitary certificates – is being led by IPPC under an STDF project, backed by international organizations, donors and industry associations.
A virtual discussion took place on 23 September 2020 to discuss about how countries are using ePhyto to safely facilitate the trade in plants and plant products across borders.
Partnering to improve food safety outcomes: accreditation and the role of vTPA programmes
- How can the public-private sector jointly drive food safety?
- What can we learn from the use of vTPA programmes?
Around the world, regulators and the private sector are coming together to drive improvements in food safety outcomes for public health and trade. Multi-national companies as well as micro and small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) are making use of quality assurance schemes to reduce supply chain risks and raise the quality and safety of food products and open up access to markets.
A number of authorities are recognizing these programmes and using trusted data generated by certification audits to make risk management decisions and conduct inspections. This also offers opportunities for crisis periods, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing this interest, Codex is developing new guidelines on the recognition and use of voluntary third-party assurance (vTPA).
Alongside regulators, vTPA owners, food industry, accreditation and certification bodies and food safety service providers, the STDF and UNIDO held a virtual discussion on accreditation and the role of vTPA programmes. The webinar took place on 9 June 2020, marking the World Accreditation Day. Click here to access the slides, and here to access e-news and video.
Future-proofing safe trade during COVID-19
With the COVID-19 pandemic, livelihoods worldwide are being affected with an unprecedented disruption of businesses and delays at borders, while the impact is felt across global supply chains. For developing countries, where health systems, infrastructure and resources face longstanding gaps, governments and the private sector, including MSMEs, now face huge challenges to respond.
The STDF held a virtual discussion on 26 May 2020 on how STDF partners are responding to COVID-19.
2019
Global action underway on meeting pesticide standards for export
Pesticides often cause trade concerns for tropical fruits and vegetables from developing countries. Few Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) exist for these crops, and they can differ from Codex standards or also for different trading partners. Three STDF projects (STDF/PG/359, STDF/PG/337, and STDF/PG/436) helped producers and traders in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia to meet pesticide requirements for tropical crops, including mangos and bananas.
An STDF information session held on 07 November 2019, at the margins of the WTO SPS Committee, shared the findings and recommendations of an independent evaluation of these projects, as well as discussed their catalytic impact in driving regional and global collaboration.
Why investing in SPS capacity matters for safe trade and sustainable development
Trade in food and agricultural products offers a way for farmers, processors and traders in developing countries to increase their incomes and boost economic development. But limited capacity to meet food safety, animal and plant health requirements – SPS measures – for export can be a major challenge.
An STDF session held on 4 July 2019 looked at the impact of building SPS capacity on inclusive growth, highlighting experiences from the public and private sectors in Guatemala, Sri Lanka and Uganda.
Strengthening the control of transboundary animal diseases in Cameroon
An STDF information session held on 20 March 2019 looked at the results and impact of the project, sought to mobilize follow-up commitment and capitalize investments for the strategic plans.
2017
Costs and benefits of Foot-and-Mouth disease (FMD) Control for Livestock Trade
Read more here.
Transitioning from paper-based to automated SPS systems
Read more here.
SPS Assistance for Development: the case for French-speaking Africa
2016
STDF guide to help Prioritize SPS Investments for Market Access (P-IMA)
Facilitating trade: going paperless with electronic SPS certification
Spicing-up development assistance: How SPS requirements triggered a transformational change in Sri Lanka's cinnamon sector
2015
Effective Implementation of SPS Measures to Facilitate Safe Trade
Read more here.
2014
Implementing SPS measures to facilitate safe trade
A thematic session took place on 26 March 2014, on the margins of WTO SPS Committee. The session led to knowledge exchange on trade facilitation and the implementation of SPS measures and shared the preliminary findings of three regional studies.
2013
Beyond Compliance: Integrated Systems Approach for Pest Risk Management in Southeast Asia
Innovative Systems Approach to Pest Risk Management was discussed during an STDF side event on 16 October 2013. Successful regional studies were showcased as a part of an STDF-funded project.
Public-Private Partnerships in a Value Chain Context
Prioritizing SPS Investments for Market Access (P-IMA)
This P-IMA workshop brought together developing country experts who provided useful lessons from their country's use of P-IMA 24-25 June 2013. The discussions generated practical guidance on how to deepen and improve this evidence-based approach and trigger wider the use of P-IMA.
2012
Use of P-IMA to inform Decision-Making on SPS capacity Building
The P-IMA framework was presented to key SPS experts from the Asia and the Pacific during an STDF workshop on 12-13 November 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop shared practical experiences from Belize and Vietnam where the framework have been used and provided the necessary knowledge and skills to apply this framework.
International Trade and Invasive Alien Species (IAS)
The STDF in collaboration with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) organised a seminar on 12-13 July 2012 to discuss how to manage and control the spread of IAS, an important threat for biodiversity, agricultural production and wildlife.
2011
Aid for Trade 3rd Global Review
The 3rd Aid for Trade Global Review took place on 18-19 July 2011. Previous Global Reviews (2007 and 2009) demonstrated that Aid for Trade is making progress and that partner countries are making headway in mainstreaming trade in their national and regional development strategies. The focus of the 3rd Review was on outcomes and impact.
Use of P-IMA to Inform Decisions on the Allocation of Resources aimed at Strengthening SPS Capacity
A Regional P-IMA workshop took place in Johannesburg, South Africa on 16‐17 August 2011. The workshop introduced the use of P-IMA, shared country experiences and discussed emerging issues faced in using this framework.
2010
Public-Private Partnerships in support of SPS Capacity
The STDF, in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) and the World Bank Institute, organized an international workshop to discuss the untapped potential and role of PPPs in agricultural development and market access in The Hague, The Netherlands on 4-6 October 2010.
Indicators to measure SPS performance
Following the emergence of result based management frameworks, STDF organised jointly with OECD a technical working meeting on 1 July 2010 to explore indicators measuring the performance of national SPS systems.
2009
The use of economic analysis to inform SPS decision-making
The STDF organised a workshop on 30 October 2009 to raise awareness on how economic analysis can be used to inform SPS decision-making.
Fruit Fly Control in West Africa
Building on previous efforts to control fruit fly threat in West Africa, STDF and ECOWAS organised a joint donor workshop to foster the multi-stake approach in coordinating the fight on fruit fly, on 29-30 September 2009, in Bamako, Mali.
Climate Change and Agriculture Trade: risks and responses
A joint STDF/World Bank seminar looked at the implications of climate change for SPS risks and explored avenues to addresses the challenges on 22-23 September 2009, in Washington D.C, United States.
2008
Good Practice in SPS-related technical cooperation
Private Standards
STDF's information session on 26 June 2008 shared the latest updates on private standards and discussed options to assist developing countries preparing to comply with these new schemes.
Read more here.
SPS-Related Capacity Evaluation Tools